The 40-page On Track Together report (download below) covers the topics of safety and quality, people, environmental sustainability, governance and ethics, and communities, according to Greenbrier, a Lake Oswego, Ore.-based company that designs, builds, and markets freight railcars in North America, Europe, and Brazil.
Highlights include:
- “Greenbrier reused, reclaimed or recycled 25,000 tons of materials through its programmatic railcar restoration activities, including Sustainable ConversionsTM.
- “Employees provided a global response rate of 94% to its 2024 survey, which solicited feedback and provided insight into employee perceptions and areas for improvement.
- “Local communities received nearly $800,000 through Greenbrier’s charitable giving efforts.
- “The total share of recycled steel purchased for new railcar manufacturing increased to 56%.
- “Greenbrier underwent a 2-degree Celsius scenario planning event to assess the company’s preparedness under various potential climate-related situations.
- “A third-party, automated risk management system was introduced to monitor customer and supplier compliance with all international laws and regulations.
- “In 2024, 35% of Greenbrier’s U.S.-based electricity usage came from renewable energy sources.
- “During the past year, Greenbrier received a variety of sustainability awards and recognitions, led by key customers and other stakeholders. This includes CN’s EcoConnexions Partner, Union Pacific’s Sustainability Partner, Norfolk Southern’s Thoroughbred Sustainability Partner, Governance Intelligence’s Best ESG [Environmental, Social and Governance] reporting (small cap), America’s Climate Leaders by USA TODAY and Statista, and Newsweek’s America’s Greenest Companies.”
“I am proud of the progress made on our sustainability priorities in fiscal 2024,” Greenbrier President and CEO Lorie Tekorius said. “With our people at the center of our decision-making and continuous improvement initiatives, we created value for our customers, industry and the communities where we operate. This is demonstrated by the many external sustainability recognitions we have received from our customers, media organizations, and other stakeholders.”
The On Track Together follows the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) framework with reference to the related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), according to Greenbrier, which previously tracked progress for conformance with the Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Due to TCFD’s disbandment in 2024, Greenbrier said it plans to transition to the International Sustainability Standards Board’s (ISSB) new International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) S1 General Requirements for Disclosure of Sustainability-Related Financial Information and IFRS S2 Climate-Related Disclosures.
